GEOFF GOODALL'S AVIATION HISTORY SITE

Last updated 22 August 2022

RAF AVRO LINCOLNS IN AUSTRALIA

Compiled by Geoff Goodall

A summary of RAF Lincolns sent to Australia for a variety of test and trials purposes, mostly at Woomera

A classic airshow picture of Lincoln RF423 at RAAF Laverton, Victoria in 1954 Photo by Barry MacLean

The Avro 694 Lincoln was selected as the post-war standard bomber for the Royal Australian Air Force. Under a licencing agreement between A.V.Roe and Company Ltd and the Australian Government, the newly-formed Government Aircraft Factory at Fishermans Bend, Melbourne commenced Australian production of Lincoln Mk.30 bombers, completing a total of 54 aircraft A73-1 to A73-54 between 1946 and 1950. Of these 18 were later rebuilt as long-nose Mk.31 MR maritime reconnaissance models A73-55 to A73-73, which continued in RAAF service until 1961 when the last of the type were replaced by Lockheed Neptunes.
All RAAF Lincolns operated in metallic finish, camouflage was never applied.

Australian Lincoln production at Government Aircraft Factory, Fishermans Bend airfield Melbourne 1948.
The C-47s were undergoing civil conversions for various customers. John Hopton Collection

A73-22 heads this line of Lincoln Mk.30s at RAAF Pearce WA 30 January 1949. Geoff Goodall collection

Long nose Lincoln Mk.31(MR) A73-61 from 10 Squadron Townsville visits Rockhampton in January 1961.
Later that year it was retired at Townsville and scrapped John Hopton Collection

RAF Lincolns deployed to Australia

                       British Empire post-war cooperation resulted in the Australian Government's enthusiastic agreement for a long range weapons testing ground to be established in Australia. The joint British-Australian Long Range Weapons Research Establishment (LRWRE) operated under high secrecy on defence land at Salisbury, on the northern outskirts of Adelaide SA and construction commenced on the Woomera Rocket Range in a remote area of South Australia.
                      British defence developments led to the 1952-1953 atomic bomb tests at Monte Bello Islands WA and Emu SA before a permanent atomic testing site was created at Maralinga SA. The scientific role of the LRWRE expanded to cover a wide range of military weaponry and systems and in January 1955 all South Australian defence research establishments were combined into one body named Weapons Rearch Establishment at Salisbury. This site had been developed into a modern airfield named RAAF Edinburgh, which replaced the wartime RAAF Mallala airfield, 30 miles north of Adelaide. The RAAF Courier service which had been operating between Mallala and Woomera with Bristol Freighters, Percival Princes, Anson C.19s and a Vickers Viking, moved to Edinburgh.

                     The RAF Lincolns at Woomera were operated by RAAF on a range of Bomb Balistic Trials, mostly evaluating high altitude bombing and dropping latest design ordinance in preparation for air-dropped British atomic bombs. The work of the Lincolns at Woomera was taken over by British V-bombers from 1955, when the first Vickers Valiant WP209 departed Farnborough for Australia. The first actual atomic bomb drop at Maralinga SA was made by a Valiant on 11 October 1956. By the early 1960s Woomera-based RAF Valiants and Victors were regularly seen conducting crew practice ILS approaches at Adelaide-West Beach Airport.

This view of a lineup of Air Trials Unit aircraft at Woomera SA early 1950s includes two British Lincolns.
Photo: Nigel Daw collection

To support the British weapons testing at Woomera and research projects at LRWRE Adelaide, RAF Transport Command operated a courier service from Great Britain to Woomera and Mallala. Mostly using Handley Page Hastings, the regular service carried high-priority personnel, equipment and sometimes the weapons themselves. From 1956 the British Ministry of Supply contracted a weekly courier service from London to Woomera and Adelaide to civil operators. For details of the courier operations by British charter airlines, see WOOMERA COURIER in this section.

RAF Handley Page Hastings TG551 at Woomera on a courier run from UK. Nigel Daw collection

RAF Lincolns based in Australia, listed in order of serial number:

Lincoln B.1 High altitude bombing trials RA638

45	Built by Metropolitan-Vickers Ltd at Manchester and assembled by Avro at Chester
45	Taken on RAF charge as RA638
	Issued to RAF Bomb Balistic Unit, Woodbridge
	Tfd to Ministry of Supply for use by Long Range Weapons Research Establishment, Australia
20.1.49	Taken on RAAF charge as RA638. Received from UK on loan. Received ARDU Laverton ex UK
21.1.49	Serious corrosion found in fuselage and mainplanes, aircraft grounded
10.2.49	Received 1AD Laverton ex ARDU for repair
3.3.49	Received ARDU ex 1AD
21.4.49	Received ARDU Detachment A, Woomera
17.5.50	Accident at Woomera, pilot F. Crawford RAAF
18.10.50	Received ARDU Trials Flight, Woomera
29.3.51	Received ARDU Laverton ex ARDU Trials Flight
5.51-11.51	u/s at ARDU Laverton awaiting survey report
18.2.52	allotted 1AD Laveron ex ARDU for conversion to instructional airframe
21.8.52	issued to RAAF East Sale ex 1AD as fuselage less tailplane, fins, mainplane. To be renumbered Lincoln Instructional No.2
21.11..52	fuselage has been moved to East Sale
19.10.53	Approved for disposal

Lincoln B.1 High altitude bombing trials RA640

45	Built by Metropolitan-Vickers Ltd at Manchester and assembled by Avro at Chester
	Taken on RAF charge as RA640
	No RAF service, issued to British Ministry of Supply
13.8.52	Taken on RAAF charge as RA640. Received ARDU Trials Flight Woomera ex UK
20.1.53	Forced landing Woomera after engine failure due fuel starvation at 35,000 feet
19.10.53	Minor damage to mainplane at Woomera in ground collision with Lincoln RA644
15.12.53	Asymetric landing Woomera due loss of oil No.2 engine. pilot W/O W. Middlemiss RAAF
15.2.54	Engine failure due oil pressure at ARDU Trials Flight (renamed Air Trials Unit)
30.7.54	Incident report at Woomera
5.11.54	Incident report at RAAF Edinburgh, pilot W/C F. R. Schaaf
11.2.55	Incident report: heavy landing Woomera, Flt Lt. M. M. Heinrich
18.5.55	Asymetric landing Woomera with starboard outer engine feathered. Pilot F/Sgt M.T.Richardson RAAF
19.10.56	Request allotment to Base Squadron RAAF Edinburgh for disposal action
14.12.56	Held u/s at Air Trials Unit Woomera
12.12.56	Approved for conversion to instructional purposes for fire fighting practice
57	Burnt for fire practice at Woomera
10.6.57	Final write-off action has been taken

Lincoln B.1 High altitude bombing trials RA644

45	Built by Metropolitan-Vickers Ltd at Manchester and assembled by Avro at Chester
	Taken on RAF charge as RA644
	RAF Bomb Balistic Unit, Woodbridge
	Issued to Long Range Weapons Establishment, Australia
16.1.50	Taken on RAAF charge as RA644 on loan from RAF
19.1.50	Received ARDU Detachment A, Mallala
18.10.50	Received ARDU Traisl Flight, Woomera ex ARDU Detachment A
13.11.51	Incident report at Woomera, pilot by F/Lt T. A. Berry
11.51-10.53	held u/s at ARDU Trials Flight awaiting spares
19.10.53	Damaged in ground accident at Woomera. Tailplane of RA644 struck RA640. Both repaired
55	ARDU Trials Flight renamed Air Trials Unit
19.5.55	Serviceable with ATU Woomera
28.11.55	Issued Maintenance Squadron Edinburgh ex ATU for minor service
14.9.56	Serviceable with ATU
5.10.56	Request discontinue servicing and maintenance this aircraft pending disposal
1.2.57	Authorised for disposal action
23.5.57	Listed on Edinburgh disposal list as scrap metal including four Merlin engines
12.9.57	Disposal in progress
	Sold as scrap metal at RAAF Edinburgh SA

Lincoln B.1 "Atlas" Tropical trials RA648

46	Built by Metropolitan-Vickers Ltd at Manchester and assembled by Avro at Chester
46	Taken on RAF charge as RA648
	A.V.Roe & Co Ltd for mods
	Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, RAF Boscombe Down Named "Atlas"
4.46	"Atlas" was flown to Australia for tropical trials attached to RAAF No.1 Aircraft Performance Unit, Laverton which was soon to be renamed Aircraft Research and Development Unit - ARDU
11.4.46	arrived Darwin from UK, under command of Wing Commander Everest, carrying a party from Empire Air Armament School, RAF Manby. Departed Darwin 13.4.46 for Laverton.
16.4.46	Taken on RAAF charge as RA648 on loan from RAF. Received No.1 Aircraft Performance Unit, Laverton Vic
17.4.46	Allotted to DAP Maintenance, Fishermans Bend for 75 hourly inspection
	Allotted 1APU on completion
	ARDU detachment was sent from Laverton to Darwin, from where the Lincoln flew 34,000 miles on trial flights to Morotai, Broome, Balikpapan, Singapore and Batavia.
15.10.46	Engine failure on ground Darwin
12.46	Operated by ARDU on a photographic aerial mapping mission of 3 parallel traverses 12 miles apart 1,120 nm long across Australia at 20,000 ft, covering 45,000 square miles
47	Operated by ARDU on a 2,500 miles flight to Macquarie Island, Antarctica and return, a survey to gather information for a forthcoming Australian Antarctic Expedition
18.3.47	Allotted Beaufort Division, Fishermans Bend for mods
	Allotted 1APU on completion
5.6.47	Issued to British Air Ministry ex 1APU
	AAEE, RAF Boscombe Down
29.12.49	Struck-off RAF strength

RA648 at RAAF Laverton with No.1 Aircraft Performance Unit 1946-47, name "Atlas" beneath the cockpit.
Behind are two RAAF Mustangs parked either side of the prototype CAC CA-15 fighter A62-1001 also with 1APU.
Photo: Allan Betteridge collection via Civil Aviation Historical Society

Lincoln B.1 High altitude bombing trials RE258

46	Built by A.V.Roe and Co Ltd at their Chadderton factory, among 162 aircraft diverted from Lancaster production to be completed as Lincolns
46	Taken on RAF charge as RE258
	Issued to Rolls Royce for engine testing
	Tfd to Ministry of Supply for use by Long Range Weapons Research Establishment, Australia
30.3.51	Taken on RAAF charge as RE258. Received ARDU Trials Flight, Woomera ex RAF Boscombe Down
2.4.51	RAAF airframe record card: "Engine change completed and test flown. Aircraft was ferried to Woomera 30 March and now undergoing 100 hourly inspection and preparation for trials with large stores."
9.9.52	u/s at ARDU Trails Flight awaiting spares. Same 19.2.53
19.3.53	Approved for conversion to components
22.7.53	ARDU Trials Flight asdvise conversion has been completed
	Broken up at Woomera

Lincoln B.1 High altitude bombing trials RE259

46	Built by A.V.Roe and Co Ltd at their Chadderton factory, among 162 aircraft diverted from Lancaster production to be completed as Lincolns
	Taken on RAF charge as RE259
	RAF Bomb Balistic Unit, Woodbridge
	Tfd to Ministry of Supply for use by Long Range Weapons Research Establishment, Australia
22.6.48	Taken on RAAF charge as RE259. Received ARDU Laverton ex UK on loan
6.12.48	Transferred to ARDU Detachment A at RAAF Mallala
21.1.49	Serious corrosion found in fuselage and mainplanes
4.2.49	Received 1AD Laverton ex ARDU Detachment A for repairs
3.3.49	Received ARDU ex 1AD
10.3.49	Received ARDU Detachment A, Mallala ex ARDU
20.7.50	Incident report Woomera, pilot Sqn Ldr S. J. Brasier
18.10.50	Received ARDU Trials Flight, Woomera ex ARDU Detachment A
1.12.50	Incident report Woomera, pilot F/Lt P. B.Wilson
19.2.51	Damaged at Woomera due stone thrown up during engine ground run
10.4.51	Received ARDU Laverton for complete engine change
30.8.51	Received ARDU Trials Flight Woomera ex ARDU
19.9.52	u/s undergoing minor inspection at ARDU Trials Flight
19.2.53	held u/s at ARDU Trials Flight
19.3.53	Approval to convert to components
22.7.53	Conversion to components has been completed
	Broken up at Woomera

Lincoln B.2 AS Python turbine engines RE339

.46	Built by A.V.Roe and Co Ltd at their Chadderton factory, among 162 aircraft diverted from Lancaster production to be completed as Lincolns
.46	Taken on RAF charge as RE339
	RE339 and RE418 diverted from RAF to Air Ministry for use as Bristol Theseus testbeds. Both fitted by the Engine Division of Bristol Aeroplane Co Ltd with two 2,180hp Bristol Theseus 21 engines in the outer engine positions.
	A.V.Roe & Co Ltd for mods
	Later two Armstrong Siddeley Python turboprop engines installed in outer engine positions
	Tfd to Ministry of Supply for use by Long Range Weapons Research Establishment, Australia
12.8.52	Taken on RAAF charge as RE339. Received at ARDU Trails Flight, Woomera ex UK
18.9.52	Serviceable at ARDU Trials Flight
28.1.53	Incident report Woomera: starboard inner Merlin engine failure at 26,000 feet followed by starboard Python engine failure. Python could not be relit after descent to a low altitude
30.6.53	Incident report Woomera: rough running engine, pilot F/Lt P. G. Knudsen
26.2.54	Damage to fuselage and wing during ground engine run at Woomera. Starboard wheel jumped the chock, pilot F/Lt M. M. Heinrich RAAF
9.4.54	Serviceable at ARDU Trials Flight
2.55	ARDU Trials Flight renamed Air Trials Unit, Woomera. RE339 operated by ATU
20.1.56	UK Ministry of Supply has been requested to approve the return of this aircraft to UK as it is no longer required
1.6.56	Allotted to 1AD Detachment B Tocumwal for storage pending decision on disposal
4.7.56	Previous allotment cancelled
12.9.56	held u/s at ATU Woomera
17.10.56	Allotted to Base Squadron Edinburgh for disposal action
14.12.56	held u/s at ATU Woomera
23.5.57	Listed on Edinburgh disposals list EDIN 6/57 as scrap metal including Python Mk.1 engines Nos. 123 & 145 and Merlin 86 engines Nos.196455 & 137943
12.8.57	Conversion in progress
	Broken-up at Woomera

Lincoln B.1 AS Python turbine engines RE418

46	Built by A.V.Roe and Co Ltd at their Chadderton factory, among 162 aircraft diverted from Lancaster production to be completed as Lincolns
.46	Taken on RAF charge as RE418
	RE418 and RE339 diverted from RAF as Air Ministry for use as Bristol Theseus turboprop engine testbeds. Both were modified by the Engine Division of Bristol Aeroplane Co Ltd with two 2,180hp Bristol Theseus 21 engines in the outer engine positions.
	Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, RAF Boscombe Down
5.48	RAF Transport Command. Used on scheduled services from RAF Lyneham to the Middle East commencing 21.5.48
	Theseus engines in outer positions replaced by Armstrong Siddeley Python turbine engines with two four bladed contra-rotating propellers
	Tfd to Ministry of Supply for use by Long Range Weapons Research Establishment, Australia
	RE418 with Pythons was delivered to RAF Bitteswell for flight testing before leaving for Australia. A flight development programme was carried out, consisting of timed climbs at various aircraft weights in order to determine the maximum operating ceiling of the aircraft. An altitude of 38,000 feet was achieved with an AUW at take-off of 58,300 lbs.
27.10.52	Taken on RAAF charge as RE418. Received ARDU Trials Flight Woomera ex UK Fitted with Merlin 86 Nos 196753 & 195829 and Pythons Nos ASP 108 & ASP121
28.11.52	Engine failure at 35,000 feet, unable to restart, asymetric landing, pilot F/Lt P. G. Knudsen
5.12.52	Serious airframe damage to fuselage and wings at ARDU Trials Flight. Recommend conversion to components
19.2.53	held u/s at ARDU Trials Flight
19.3.53	Approval for airframe (only) to be converted to components. Forward and centre fuselage and DRC Compass installation to be transferred to LRWE at Salisbury for test purposes
22.7.53	Conversion to components has been completed
	Broken-up at Woomera

RE418 with four Merlins, prior to installation of Bristol Theseus turboprop engines in the outer positions

Lincoln B.2 AS Python turbine engines RF403

	Built by Sir W. G. Armstrong-Whitworth Aircraft Ltd, Baginton
	Taken on RAF charge as RF403
	Issued to De Havillland Aircraft Ltd for modifications
	Two Armstrong Siddeley Python experimental turboprop engines installed in outer engine positions by Air Service Training Ltd, Hamble
	Transferred to Ministry of Supply for use by Long Range Weapons Research Establishment, Australia
22.3.54	Taken on RAAF charge as RF403. Received Air Trials Unit, Woomera ex UK
	Used for high altitude bombing trials at Woomera to evaluate the bomb casings for the Blue Danube atomic weapon. The Python turboprop engines allowed the Lincoln to climb to 34,000 feet for the trials. At the time there was no other aircraft that could accommodate the large weapon casing measuring 62 inches diameter and 24 feet length.
24.2.55	u/s at ATU Woomera. Held u/s all reports to end of year
20.1.56	UK Ministry of Supply has been requested to approve the return of this aircraft to UK as it is no longer required
1.6.56	Allotted 1AD Detachment B Tocumwal ex ATU for storage pending disposal
18.6,56	Issued to Tocumwal ex ATU
1.8.56	Held Tocumwal in Category C storage
14.2.57	Declared for disposal as scrap metal on disposal list TOC 2/57
8.11.57	Collected by purchaser with installed engines (assumed purchaser was scrap metal dealer)
	Broken-up at Tocumwal NSW

RF403 with Python turboprop power plants in the outer positions, in UK before being sent to Woomera

RF403 at Woomera in bare metal finish, showing the two Pythons with contra-rotating four-bladed propellers
Photo: RAAF

RF403 retired at RAAF Tocumwal in 1957 in a later white Woomera paint scheme, unit code "0".
The Python turbines with props are still installed in the outer positions. Photo: John Hopton Collection

This Python engine displayed at Australian National Aviation Museum, Moorabbin Airport, Melbourne is
believed to have come from RF403 when its was scrapped at Tocumwal. Photo by Neil Follett

Lincoln B.2 High altitude bombing trials RF423

	Built by Sir W. G. Armstrong-Whitworth Aircraft Ltd, Baginton
	Taken on RAF charge as RF423
	RAF 207 Squadron
	RAF 214 Squadron
	RAF 230 Operational Conversion Unit
	RAF 49 Squadron
3.4.52	Taken on RAAF charge as RF423. Received ARDU Trails Flight Woomera ex UK Fitted 4 Rolls Royce Merlins
12.3.53	Damaged in flight 20 miles west of Woomera. pilot W/O L. A. Rowlands: "Rear bomb bay bulkhead damaged by impact with store released from station. Repairable but beyond unit capacity."
25.3.53	Received 1AD Laverton ex ATF
7.5.53	Held by ARDU Trials Flight Woomera
6.9.54	Issued to ARDU Laverton ex ARDU Trails Flight Woomera. To be held by ARDU pending further advice
3.3.55	Received 1AD Laverton ex ARDU, to be held pending authority to convert to components
22.3.55	Dept of Supply advises that British Ministry of Supply approves conversion
11.8.55	Dept of Supply has approved that aircraft residue after conversion to components to be issued to Department of Civil Aviation
21.11.55	Conversion to components now completed Compiler note: this probably means power plants and other parts removed from airframe.
22.11.55	Transferred to DCA on a free issue basis
	Requested by DCA for testing of a proposed new rescue fire fighting vehicle at RAAF Laverton. The vehicle was referred to as the Monegeeta Monster, following trials at a test ground at Monegeeta Victoria. It featured a circular saw to cut into the fuselage of a crashed aircraft to fee trapped passengers.
	RF423 was burnt for fire crew practice during
	Burnt RAAF Laverton for fire service exercise

RF423 parked at the ARDU hangars at RAAF Laverton. John Hopton Collection

This uncaptioned picture of a RAF Lincoln in Australia is in all probabability RF423 retired at Laverton.
Photo: Neil Follett collection

RF423 meets its end as fire pratice at RAAF Laverton. John Hopton Collection

DCA's experimental fire rescue vehicle, dubbed "The Monegeeta Monster"moves in on RF423, spraying foam
while its circular saw is powered up to cut into the rear fuselage. Photo: Civil Aviation Historical Society

• • • • • • • • *

Adelaide scrap yards:
            Airframe sections of black painted Lincolns were seen in the yards of two Adelaide metal merchants during the 1960s, among collections of wrecked target drone aircraft from Woomera. The drone wrecks were moved from Woomera to the Weapons Research Establishment on RAAF Edinburgh on the northern outskirts of Adelaide. After inspection by WRE they were routinely sold as scrap metal.
- Browns Metals Ltd's yard in the suburb of Croydon held piles of white target drone Meteors.
- Hines Metals Ltd's yard in the suburb of Wingfield was much larger and held piles of Meteors, Canberra and Jindivik wrecks. During an inspection in July 1967, an almost complete Lincoln tailplane was found, painted matt black with RAF fin flashes. Nearby were four wooden crates marked "No.1 Air Trials Unit Woomera"each containing a complete RR Merlin engine. Also identified on this visit were:
Meteor:     RA367, RA421, RA433, VT106, VT139, VT142, VT175, VT177, VT179, VT184, VT191, VT222, VT256, VT259, VT283,
   VT289, VT316, VT319, WM374
Canberra: WJ978, WJ987, WD929
Jindivik:    A92-31, -56, -57, -60, -90, -94,-96, -98, -113, -116, -117, -203, -219, -243,

Aviation historian David Vincent with a RAF Lincoln tail fin, believed from RA644, he purchased for $10 from Hines Metals yard in Adelaide in 1972.
It had clearly been used for fire practice. David donated it to the Warbirds Aviation Museum at Mildura and it was collected by
Museum founder Pearce Dunn collected the fin in his well-travelled Falcon ute on 30 July 1973. Photo by John M.Smith

Browns Metals yard Croydon, Adelaide May 1963: white Gloster Meteor U15 target drone VT168,
with other wrecked Meteors piled up behind. Photo by Geoff Goodall

English Electric Canberra U.10 target drone WD929 in Hines Metals yard Wingfield, Adelaide in July 1967.
It was painted matt black with white undersurfaces. Photo by Geoff Goodall

• • • • • • • • *

Visiting RAF Lincolns:

9.9.46     Lincoln RF844 Excalibur code DF-A Central Bomber Establishment, RAF Marham, departed Blackbushe for Australia, with a
   crew of 11 under the command of Group Captain S. C. Elworthy. Reached Laverton 14.9.46 in 50 flying hours.
             Continued to NZ, arriving at Ohakea 23.9.46, arrived Amberley from NZ 1.10.46, departing next day for Darwin and UK

23.8.47   Lincoln RE367 Aries II Empire Air Navigation School, RAF Shawbury fitted with Lancastrian nose and tail section for long-range
     operations. Refuelled at Darwin 23.8.47 in a brief one hour stop before departing for Ohakea NZ to break the existing
   England-NZ record, with a time of 59 hrs 50 mins. The Lincoln was on a long range liaison and training flight.
             Flew Australia to NZ 20.10.47, arrived Whenuapai, Auckland 13.11.47 with EANS team to instruct RNZAF on latest navigation
   techniques.

26.10.47 Lincoln RF498 Crusader Central Bomber Establishment, RAF Marham, departed UK for Far East and Australasia.
                Arrived Whenuapai, Auckland 10.11.47 with CBE team to instruct RNZAF personnel

22.1.48    Lincoln RE414 Mercury II Empire Radio School, RAF Debden, departed UK to Far East and Australasia

10.5.48    Lincoln RF523 Thor II Empire Air Armament School, RAF Manby departed UK for New Zealand under the command of
                Wing Commander Everest. Returned to UK via a night stop at Darwin 3-4.6.48, Wg Cdr Everest.

24.10.50 RAF Lincoln arrived RAAF Pearce WA from Mauritius in the first non-stop crossing of the Indian Ocean, while on an around
                the world navigation training flight. Continued to Melbourne, then Fiji.

-               Lincoln SX974 Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough: visited Australia reportedly on tropical trials

* * * * * * *

FOOTNOTE: RAF Boeing B-29 Washingtons at Woomera
The British Ministry of Supply sent two RAF Washington heavy bombers WW353 and WW354 to Woomera in 1952 for bombing trials, no doubt in preparation for atomic weapons. At Woomera they were operated by RAAF alongside the RAF Lincolns by ARDU Trials Flight, later renamed Air Trials Unit. When the Washingtons were no longer required in 1956, the British Ministry requested RAAF to dispose of them. WW353 was ferried to RAAF Tocumwal NSW which was the main RAAF aircraft storage and disposal base, while WW354 was broken-up for scrap at RAAF Edinburgh SA.

B-29 Washington WW353 at Tocumwal in 1959 after sale to R.H.Grant Metal Co. Photo: The Collection

September 1961 aerial view of WW353 at the scrapping and metal furnace area of RAAF Tocumwal.
RAAF Meteors are being broken up and two Wirraways wait their fate. Photo by Bob Dougherty

References:
- Avro Aircraft Since 1908, A.J. Jackson, Putnam 1965
- British Military Aircraft Serials 1911-1979, Bruce Robertson, Patrick Stephens 1979
- Flypast A Record of Aviation in Australia, Neville Parnell and Trevor Boughton, CAA 1988
- RAAF Airframe record cards - transcribed by compiler at RAAF Historical, Canberra
- Air Britain Aeromilitaria No.2 1982: RAF Lincoln listing
- Australian Lincolns, Dave Eyre, AHSA Journal Vol IX No.5
- Aircraft Magazine, Melbourne, October 1947: ARDU story
- ADF Serials site: http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a73.ht

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